Microsoft will let pirates upgrade to Windows 10 with no hard feelings

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Microsoft has said that people who run pirate copies of Windows will be able to upgrade for free to Windows 10 – just like properly licensed users, turning their dodgy copy of the operating system into a legitimate one.

The move was spotted by The Verge, which spotted a Reuters interview, in which Windows head Terry Myerson said “We are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10” – and later confirmed it with Microsoft.

The move is a savvy one as it means that the millions of pirates – particularly in places like China – will be properly locked into Windows, and will receive software updates and app store access like everyone else. The challenge for Microsoft isn’t making money on Windows per-se, but keeping pace with the likes of Apple, which has made its OS free.